Girl Scout Museum at Daisy's Place

We're proud to offer guided tours, casual browsing, hands-on exhibits, memorabilia, and a collection of vintage Girl Scout uniforms, and more.

We're located inside the Knoxville Service Center, and are open for browsing during regular service center business hours. For updates on hours, check the shop page, homepage, or social media, or call us at 800.474.1912. Admission is free.

Guided tours can be arranged by submitting a tour request form two weeks in advance. (Group size is limited to no more than 20 individuals.)

Visitors may purchase museum patches commemorating their museum tour at the Girl Scout Shop.

Be sure to sign the guest book on your way out and leave a comment. We are looking forward to seeing you!

Things to do and see at the museum

Vintage Uniforms
Our collection dates back to 1920, and includes more than 500 uniforms! Girls love the memorable experience of trying on uniforms and having vintage fashion shows with their troop.

In order to do so, you’ll also need to provide a list of the girls’ dress sizes AND waist sizes when you make your tour reservation. Uniforms are also available to loan. Check the forms at the bottom of the page.

Hands-on Exhibits
Girls, friends, and parents are welcome to browse the hands-on exhibits and displays of unique Girl Scout memorabilia, history, games, and activities. We also have many authentic vintage Girl Scout clothing and camping items on display.

Archival Library
Our Archival Library holds many historical Girl Scout-related publications, handbooks, nature guides, scrapbooks, and newsletters dating back to 1912. Browse the collection for ideas for troop projects, meeting ideas, ceremony plans, and more. Photocopies of archival materials are allowed, but the actual materials do not circulate.

SWAPS
Choose one of the SWAPS (Small Whatchamacallits Affectionately Pinned Somewhere) from the museum basket, and bring your own to add! Be sure to attach a pin and put your troop number and city on your SWAPS. Have fun!

Smithsonian Doll – Mabel Pain
The famous Mabel Pain doll was part of an exhibit in the Smithsonian Museums in Washington, D.C., and is now on permanent loan at the museum by Frances VanWinkle. The doll’s unique story is documented in the book, The Girl Scout Triumph, also on display.

In the early 1900s, Mrs. Pain gave the doll to her friend Elsie Jachowski who was living in Washington, D.C., and was the mother of Frances Van Winkle of Knoxville. We thank Mrs. Van Winkle for being a supporter of the museum from the beginning and for sharing this very special doll.

Portable Programs
These portable project kits are available for volunteer checkout for a $5 fee. Check the Portable Program List for all the available topics!

Sewing Machine Rental
The museum is happy to offer a lending library of sewing machines available for girl and troop use. These are available by putting down a deposit. Check the Museum Forms below for all details.

Volunteer at the museum

Volunteers operate our museum, and we encourage you to consider being part of the team. Troops are invited to contact us about making a display and individual adults of every age are needed and appreciated. Short term and continuing helpers are wanted.

Short Term Projects
If you are interested in any of these projects, or would like more information, call Joni Morgan at 865-617-4353 or email jpmorgan06@comcast.net.

Writer/Editor – 2 projects
In order to best protect and maintain their historic collection, the museum is looking for someone to help them write and edit an Emergency Preparedness plan.

Informative resources and basic draft available. No training needed. An interest in technical writing is helpful. It can be done mostly at home if desired. Some research will need to be done at the Knoxville Service Center.

Those who are interested in fashion might like to help develop 'history' cards for the uniform collection, to tell the girls more about what was special about each one. Again, can be done mostly at home if desired.

Social Media Coordinator
Create and share content, and spread news about the museum via Facebook!

Vintage Uniform Fashion Coordinator
Have you been to the Girl Scout museum and seen the vintage uniforms? There are over 500 uniforms, and the collection actually dates back to 1920. The collection has grown over the years due to generous donations from the public, and is maintained by the current museum volunteers.

The Fashion Coordinator would be responsible for sorting donated pieces, dating uniform pieces, pairing accessories with the correct uniforms, and overall collection maintenance.

No training needed. On-the-job training is the best way - and we have lots of resources, catalogs and other documents available for reference.

Memorabilia Master
The museum receives frequent and thoughtful donations of Girl Scout memorabilia like canteens and other camp items, handbooks, and jewelry from the public.

The items need to be sorted, dated, and cataloged. There are many boxes of treasures and nostalgia to look through.

This project may take several months to complete a review of what's in the treasure boxes, and to catalog what's been donated recently.

Donate to the museum

The Girl Scout Museum at Daisy's Place is happy to accept artifacts/objects into its collection under the following conditions:

Artifacts must be either (1) related to Girl Scouting in Girl Scouts of the Southern Appalachian's region, (2) related to the wider international community of Girl Scouting, or (3) serve as important reference materials related to Girl Scout history. Typical items includes books, uniforms, badges, awards, pins/jewelry, or Girl Scout-related products, memorabilia, and posters/prints.

Due to limited storage, the museum does not accept craft supplies or photos/scrapbooks without dates/locations/names.

Donated items are unrestricted gifts and must have a signed Deed of Gift Form. The museum does not determine fair market value of donations.

Donated items will be kept in the collection, given to other museums, traded, sold, or discarded at the museum’s sole discretion.

The items must be mailed or delivered directly to the museum (Daisy's Place, 1567 Downtown West, Knoxville, TN 37919). GSCSA does not pick up items.

The Johnson City and Chattanooga Service Centers are not able to accept museum donations unless a specific arrangement has been made with the museum at least two days in advance of the drop-off.

Museum forms

A Quick Look at Girl Scout History>>>

Call 800-474-1912 for more information about visiting the museum or becoming a museum volunteer.